StubHub Launches Multi-Year Program to Support Music Education

Three-year commitment to include grant to provide $3MM in instrument donations from the StubHub Foundation, supporting the benefitting partner Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation.

StubHub, the world's largest event marketplace, announced today a three-year commitment to put over $3MM in instruments into at-risk public school music programs across the country, in partnership with the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation (MHOF). The commitment is made possible by a grant from the StubHub Foundation, a corporate-advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, that extends the existing four-year partnership with the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation.

Building on its 2015 commitment, that has already helped put more than $2MM in instruments into public schools, StubHub aims to achieve a truly collective impact through investment, elevated exposure for the cause and opportunities for youth to be inspired by musicians, igniting a renewed passion for giving and support within the community. Selected markets will be chosen collaboratively by StubHub, MHOF and partner artists and brands, with awarded schools to be chosen by MHOF through its established selection criteria. Interested schools are invited to inquire directly through MHOF.

“We believe that music needs to be a core component of education in America,” said Perkins Miller, GM, North America, StubHub. “Numerous studies have shown the benefits that music education plays in student enrichment and development, which is why we are proud to support the efforts of the Mr. Hollands Opus Foundation and all those who help keep music alive in schools across America.”

The program is set to kick off today at SXSW with the first benefitting school – Bedichek Middle School in Austin, Texas – receiving more than $12K in musical instruments for their string and marching band programs. Today, students will be treated to a private acoustic performance by Jukebox the Ghost and then will serve as the opening performer for StubHub’s two-day SXSW Next Stage showcase at Banger’s in downtown Austin.

While at SXSW, StubHub will also be capturing the voices of the 18 artists, who will be performing at their Next Stage activation, to help raise awareness and engage more people. Music fans are invited to donate to the cause by texting “NEXTSTAGE” to 80077*.

“As a Title I school, 99 percent of students rent instruments from the school because they cannot afford to rent their own. With this donation from StubHub, the quality of instruments we received puts us on the same playing field for competitions with other wealthier schools in the area, as well as supplies instrument needs in our program,” said Samantha Stewart, Orchestra Director at Bedichek Middle School in Austin.

StubHub’s commitment continues to be an important one as music education is seeing dwindling public and private support, with low-income school students receiving the least amount of local government funding, according to the National Center for Education. Research from the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation shows that schools with music programs have an estimated 90 percent graduation rate and 93 percent attendance rate compared to schools without music education, which average 72 percent for graduation and 85 percent in attendance.

To date, StubHub and the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation have successfully delivered more than $2MM in musical instruments to more than 50 schools across the United States. Over the lifetime of the instruments, more than 100,000 kids across the country will benefit from this support.

“So much has been made possible through our relationship with StubHub, and receiving this grant truly changes the game in giving the benefits of music education to thousands of deserving and hopeful children,” said Felice Mancini, President of the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. With StubHub’s commitment to music education for all kids, we can delight in seeing eager kids’ faces light up when they hold new, beautiful instruments. Their lives and spirits are elevated, and the power of music is at work.”

More information about benefitting markets, schools and ways to participate will be announced at a later date. To learn more, visit www.stubhub.com/givingback.

ABOUT THE MR. HOLLAND’S OPUS FOUNDATION:

The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation was inspired by the acclaimed motion picture Mr. Holland’s Opus, the story of the profound effect a dedicated music teacher had on generations of students. The film's composer, Michael Kamen, started the foundation in 1996 as his commitment to the future of music education. The Foundation keeps music alive in our schools by donating musical instruments to under-funded music programs, and vital support services to school districts nationwide, giving economically-disadvantaged youth access to the many benefits of music education, leading them to success in school, and inspiring creativity and expression through playing music. Hundreds of thousands of students across the country have benefited and more than 24,000 instruments have been donated to 1,510 school music programs. Please visit mhopus.org for more information.

ABOUT STUBHUB FOUNDATION

The StubHub Foundation’s (a corporate advised fund at Silicon Valley Community Foundation) mission is to expand access and opportunity for at-risk youth by supporting locally rooted, grassroots non-profit organizations working in sports, music, arts and tech-based youth development. In addition, as a leading technology company, we support organizations working to improve access and opportunity for at-risk youth through other means such as college and career readiness, technical training and education around the myriad career opportunities that exist within the technology sector.